Is there a threat to your pet? Austi vet answers bird flu questions
H5 bird flu has been detected in wild birds in Wollongong. Dr Sarah Foo, of Austinmer Veterinary Hospital, explains what pet owners need to know
With the ongoing concern of the H5 bird flu hovering over Australia, I sat down with Dr Sarah Foo, a veterinarian from Austinmer Veterinary Hospital and the Wildlife Health and Conservation Hospital, to learn if the H5N1 HPAI strain can pose a threat to our pets.
Two cases of bird flu have been reported in the Illawarra, both in Greater Crested Terns. One tern was found in Windang and the other in Port Kembla. The virus has not been seen in any domestic pets or farm animals.
The Greater Crested Tern is a large tern with a yellow bill and black crest that may be found along the Australian coast on sandy beaches, rocks and sparsely vegetated sandy or rocky islands.
What is the H5N1 HPAI bird flu strain?
The H5N1 HPAI strain of bird flu is the specific strain currently affecting both wild birds and domestic birds. It also poses a risk to mammals, including domestic pets.
Since 2021, this strain has caused mass mortalities in poultry and wild birds around the world, but it only reached Australia about three months ago.
“The first case we had of the H5N1 HPAI bird flu strain this year was detected on mainland Australia in June in a migratory seabird in Western Australia,” Sarah said.
The H5N1 HPAI strain of bird flu is more common in areas with dense migratory bird flyways, areas with high levels of commercial poultry farming or areas where there are large congregations of wild birds that may be susceptible to an outbreak.
What are the symptoms of bird flu?
The H5N1 HPAI bird flu strain can cause a variety of symptoms in birds and mammals, including:
- Respiratory: coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing
- Gastrointestinal: diarrhoea
- Neurological: inability to stand, fly, tremors, seizures, swimming in circles, incoordination, unusual postures, twisted neck
- Other: swollen head, neck and eyes, cloudy eyes, colour changes in eyes
- Sudden death or mass mortality events
What causes bird flu?
‘Avian influenza’ or 'bird flu' is a virus. There are different strains which are classed as having low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI), with the H5N1 HPAI strain currently of most concern.
Bird flu is more commonly found in wild aquatic birds, but can then spread to poultry, domestic pets and even humans.
The high pathogenicity strains are of concern as these are the ones that more commonly cause clinical signs, however, low pathogenicity strains can mutate into high pathogenicity strains in the right settings.
Dr Sarah says there is greater concern about the virus causing mass mortalities, putting threatened species at greater risk of extinction, and affecting the human food supply chain.
“It also has the propensity to have massive impacts on the poultry industry, as high-density farms form a perfect environment for the virus to spread and mutate quickly.”
How does the virus spread?
The main contributing factors to the spread of the H5N1 HPAI strain of bird flu are birds and mammals being infected by coming into close contact with others or through being exposed to contaminated environments, such as ones with faeces or secretions of animals affected by bird flu.
Any bird or mammal is at risk of contracting avian influenza, including domestic pets, particularly birds, which include backyard chickens.
“Domestic pets have been impacted in outbreaks overseas, but the numbers have been much lower than seen in wildlife and intensive farming,” said Dr Sarah.
“Humans becoming infected are rare and are mainly due to very close contact with infected animals and environments.
“Keeping objects clean – such as clothing, equipment and vehicles – are key to avoiding the spread of the bird flu.
“It is important to avoid feeding wild birds, as this can lead to a congregation of birds in a concentrated area and contamination with faeces.”
How to protect pets
To protect domestic pets and wildlife, Dr Sarah recommends keeping dogs on a leash and keeping cats indoors.
“If you have had any contact with wildlife or birds, ensure you change your clothes and shower before interacting with your pets and don’t let your pets interact with wildlife, particularly birds," she said.
“It is also important that wild birds cannot access your pet’s food and water, and make sure you both don’t touch deceased or sick animals.”
Dr Sarah recommends keeping pet birds indoors to avoid contact with wild birds, and backyard chickens should have covered enclosures, so wild bird poo cannot contaminate the ground. Enclosures should be fully enclosed where possible to prevent access to wild birds.
Actions to take
- AVOID – keep yourself and others safe. Do not make direct or indirect contact with sick or dead wildlife or their immediate environment. Observe from a distance and keep pets away.
- RECORD – make a note of what you observe, including date and time, location (GPS pin, nearby roads or landmarks), type or description of birds or animals, how many birds or other animals are sick or dead, what they look like (for example, freshly dead or just bones, signs of disease), and if safe, take photos or a video of animals affected.
- REPORT sick or dead wild animals via the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline 1800 675 888.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspect cases of bird flu-affected animals and do their part to help prevent the spread of disease.
Where to find out more
For additional resources, including where to report incidents, visit:
